City manager not nervous over performance review

Carson City Manager Linda Ritter will find out today how her bosses and some of her employees think she's doing at her job.

The Board of Supervisors will be asked if they concur with Ritter's self-evaluation she has done a satisfactory job. In April, she received a vote of confidence and higher salary than she requested - $120,000 compared with $115,000 - when supervisors extended her contract to April 2009.

At that time, Mayor Marv Teixeira said Ritter had far more responsibility than city managers in neighboring communities without receiving the commensurate pay.

"I'm just as pleased as punch by her performance," the mayor said Wednesday. "She's a terrific asset to this community."

In her self-review, Ritter listed several successes of city officials and employees during 2005, including such things as securing federal funds for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad; obtaining money for reforestation projects; successfully completing logging operations related to the Waterfall fire rehabilitation; completing successful negotiations with several employee associations; and starting a fixed-route transit system.

She also highlights the hiring of Kevin Haggerty as information technology director and Stacy Giomi as fire chief as important developments.

"My leadership role is defined by my ability to encourage, facilitate, mediate and celebrate results. Looking at the accomplishments of the city over the past year, I must conclude that I am fulfilling my role as a leader in the organization," Ritter wrote in a self-evaluation of her job performance.

In addition to the Board of Supervisors, city department directors are being asked to provide opinions about how well they believe Ritter is doing her job. The information is still being collected by city staff.

Ritter said she didn't want to make the inquiries herself because it could make the employees uncomfortable and possibly result in guarded responses.

"I talk to the board members on a regular basis and I'm encouraging their feedback," she said. "I want to know from the board if I'm doing what they desire and expect, and I want to know from my directors if I'm giving them the support they need to be successful."

Ritter, the former Elko city manager, was hired in June 2003 and received a starting salary of $94,050. She has consistently earned raises and bonuses.

Ritter asked that she receive no salary adjustment until her next review in December 2006.

-- Contact reporter Terri Harber at 882-2111, ext. 215 or at tharber@nevadaapeal.com.

If you go

WHAT: Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting

WHERE: Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. today

CALL: 887-2100